02/02/2011

Spending Cuts 'Hard To Deliver'

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) have warned that new Government that spending cuts would be "formidably hard to deliver".

The institute's comments, made in its Green Budget, aims to assess the UK Government's position before the Budget.

The report highlights that UK borrowing will be less than the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has forecast.

However, the independent think tank said the chancellor "resists the temptation to engage in any significant net giveaway".

Standby proposals for dealing with the public services were also encouraged.

The IFS warned that the economy might not grow as quickly as expected, and "even if it does, the public finance might not bounce back as strongly as it [the OBR] forecasts".

The institute predicted that government borrowing this financial year will be 0.2% below the OBR's forecast.

(BMcN/GK)


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